Tag Archives: ISKCON

“As someone wrote to me recently, the idea of GBC is not in the scriptures, so, ‘Why we should follow GBC?’ But the point is anything that a pure devotee does is as good as shastra. There’s the Bhagavata, which means the philosophy of the shastra, and there’s a person Bhagavata, the person who exemplifies that philosophy and preaches that philosophy. So Prabhupada is the person Bhagavata. What he says is as good as shastra because he’s self-realized.” more →

In 1983, ISKCON GBC removed Hansadutta from his GBC post and guru status, whereupon he handed over all properties, books, money, vehicles, etc under his charge to the authorized GBC representative and directed disciples to cooperate with ISKCON and continue their devotional service, taking shelter of Srila Prabhupada. But that was not enough. ISKCON GBC expelled Hansadutta. In fact, they led him to believe that he had been excommunicated, cut off from any and all connection. more →

Some years ago, an older godbrother who had been initiated at the same time as myself by Hansadutta in 1978, came to visit from Vrindaban, where he had been residing (and resides there still).

After Hansadutta was ousted from ISKCON and since the falldown of many ISKCON gurus since, for a time this devotee took shelter under a babaji there in the Holy Dham. Over the years he mixed with ISKCON gurus and devotees and those outside ISKCON as well, including Gaudiya Math devotees. When we were visiting Vrindaban, we wanted to place an order for deity dresses, and he came highly recommended for his beautiful designs, so we renewed our acquaintence with him in this way, and some time later, after we had relocated to a new address in Singapore and were preparing to worship Sri Sri Radha Govinda Gopal, he announced that he would be coming to Singapore for a visit and that he would perform a special fire sacrifice for our center.

So it was that he came to Singapore. One day, while we were offering aratrik, he pointed out that we were offering out of proper sequence. He remarked that this was also done all wrong in ISKCON, and that we should follow how it is done in the Gaudiya Math temples more →

Sometime last week the following email ended up in my mailbox, along with a whole slew of emails from other devotees on the same mailing list, all more or less discussing the thread of what constitutes a guru, what kind of qualifications he must possess, whether he must be a pure devotee (uttama-adhikari) or could a madhyama-adhikari or even kanistha-adhikari give diksha. Here’s what Mahesh wrote: – more →

Since October 23, 2008, Jayapataka Swami, ISKCON guru, has been in critical condition in ICCU at Hinduja Hospital, Bombay. He was admitted shortly after suffering a stroke, resulting in hemorrhage in the brain stem. He was in coma at least initially, but there have been mixed reports about his state of consciousness and responsiveness, some saying that he had opened his eyes and indicated that he wanted to chant (a clicker was offered to him) even though the ventilator tube in his mouth would have made it impossible to speak or chant aloud, other reports saying that he had lapsed back into unconsciousness, then awakened, opening one eye, and on being asked to move his limbs, raised his left arm, but could not move the other nor his legs. He has apparently been responding to questions by opening eyes or by facial expressions. Based on the latest information, it seems that he is unable to speak, and is only marginally responsive, slipping in and out of consciousness, and his condition remains critical. more →